Effect of administering a high dosage glucocorticoid bolus on the survival and subcapsular hydrostatic pressure of rat kidney allografts.

In order to measure the subcapsular pressure in normal and allotransplanted rat kidneys, a microcatheter was inserted into the subcapsular space and the hydrostatic pressure (SHP) continuously recorded with a transducer. The SHP was found to increase significantly up to the 5th day after transplantation. A single bolus injection of prednisolone on the day of transplantation or on the 4th post-operative day resulted in considerably lower SHPs being recorded. In contrast, graft survival was prolonged only when prednisolone was given on day 0 but not on day 4. Thus, it was concluded that the mode of action of prednisolone differs according to its time of administration.